Yun Daman clutched the sickle tightly, his eyes fixed ahead. "Dad, do you think it's someone from the village?"
The footsteps were light, sounding somewhat eerie.
It was as if several wild beasts were approaching...
Old Man Yun narrowed his eyes. "Everyone be careful. If we encounter bandits, you run first, and I'll hold them off!"
Despite his old bones, he could hold his own for a while if he put his life on the line.
After all, he hadn't forgotten what he learned in the military camp when he was young...
Madam Gu pinched Old Man Yun. "Stop talking nonsense. What if a bear suddenly appears? What will you do then?"
Little Xi Tian covered her mouth and giggled.
She knew there was no danger ahead, but it was right for her whole family to be vigilant.
These deep mountains and old forests were full of dangers, and anything could happen. How could they not be careful...
A moment later, three familiar figures emerged from the bushes.
They were Xiao Jinheng, Kong Xingzhuo, and Granny Jin.
Madam Gu's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, why have you come?"
She never expected a young master like Young Master Xiao to venture into the mountains...
Yun Daman threw down his sickle and wiped the sweat from his face. "Hah, I wondered who it was. Why weren't you talking and chatting as you walked? What were you being so quiet about!"
He thought it was wolves approaching.
Xiao Jinheng glanced at Little Xi Tian and pursed his lips into a smile. "We had nothing to do in the village, so we followed..."
"That's perfect! Young Master Xiao likes dried mushrooms, doesn't he? Look, they're everywhere here. You can take a couple of sacks back later!"
Yun Erman said with a chuckle.
Xiao Jinheng glanced at the ground and couldn't help but twitch his lips.
This little village child had used her supernatural powers again...
These weren't just mushrooms growing; it was a mushroom infestation!
Kong Xingzhuo and Granny Jin were also stunned.
They hadn't found a single mushroom on their way here, yet here they were, in such abundance.
It was too unbelievable!
It was as if the heavens had specifically designated a piece of land for their family, filled with all sorts of good things...
"Uncle Yun, can you carry all this back at once?" Xiao Jinheng asked.
Old Man Yun smiled and said, "No problem. I'll have Daman and Erman go back later to fetch the horses from home. Two trips will be enough to carry it all back!"
They had to bring all these wild mountain goods back. If they couldn't eat them all, they would sell them in the county town...
It would be a shame to leave them here!
Kong Xingzhuo rolled up his sleeves. "Come on, I'll help you pick!"
Granny Jin also put down her basket and started helping. "These mushrooms are so tender and white, they're truly rare!"
And so, everyone started to get busy again.
They had to finish quickly, or it would be easy to get lost in the dark, and there would be more wild beasts, making the danger level too high...
Xiao Jinheng walked up to Little Xi Tian and took out a packet of pastries from his pocket, handing it over. "Here, are you hungry? Have something to eat to fill your stomach!"
He had brought these from the kitchen before leaving.
Knowing that the little village child had a voracious appetite, he figured she must be starving after walking such a long mountain path.
"Mmm, it's osmanthus cake!" Little Xi Tian took out a piece and took a small bite. "It's delicious, thank you..."
She was indeed a little hungry.
She wanted to eat boiled corn when they got back tonight.
"Sister Xiao Ran, you eat too. There's still plenty!" Little Xi Tian shared the pastries with Chen Xiao Ran.
"I... I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat!" Chen Xiao Ran, following behind Yun Jinhe, shyly shook her head.
Hmph, those pastries weren't brought for her, so she felt too embarrassed to eat them.
Xiao Jinheng said with a half-smile, "The little village child gave them to you, so eat them!"
Why was the prefect's daughter so pretentious...
Chen Xiao Ran gave him a sideways glance, slowly leaned closer, and took a bite of the smallest pastry.
Wow, it was indeed delicious.
She then took the largest piece and happily ran to Yun Jinhe. "Brother Jinhe, have a pastry!"
Little Xi Tian: "..."
Xiao Jinheng: "..."
You're offering flowers through someone else!
Madam Gu had brought dried lamb jerky and steamed bun slices. Seeing that it was almost noon and her family should be eating, she picked some dry wood, surrounded it with stones, and started a fire.
The dried lamb jerky wasn't fully dried yet; it was soft and tender, made from the lamb leg meat Madam Gu had cut off when they slaughtered the sheep yesterday...
The steamed bun slices were threaded onto sticks and could be eaten once they were toasted until they were charred and yellow.
Ten sacks were stuffed to the brim at the base of the tree. This part of the forest was almost fully harvested, and the next task was to transport it back to the village.
"The way back will be a bit easier, it's all downhill. Jinshan, Jinhe, you two also help carry a sack, don't come back empty-handed..."
Old Man Yun held his wine gourd and took a sip of dried lamb jerky.
"Don't worry, Grandpa, I can carry a sack myself!" Yun Jinhe patted his chest.
Chen Xiao Ran's eyes sparkled upon hearing this.
She knew that Brother Jinhe was the most capable...
"I can carry one too!" Chen Xiao Ran waved her slender arms.
Madam Gu smiled slightly and patted her head. "You, it's better to stay with Tian Bao obediently!"
She dared not order the prefect's daughter to do any work.
Xiao Jinheng, while chewing on a steamed bun slice, thought about how to transport the mountain goods back to the village in one go...
Going back and forth was time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it was too dangerous in the mountains after dark. He was afraid the little village child would be scared.
Xiao Jinheng glanced back at Kong Xingzhuo, who was currently engrossed in chewing jerky, and picked up a small stone, throwing it at him.
"Hmm? Young Master, what's wrong?" Kong Xingzhuo came closer.
"Have two of your hidden guards come to help the Yun family carry the mountain goods!" Xiao Jinheng instructed.
Kong Xingzhuo: "..."
Young Master, they are elite imperial guards, hidden guards sent by His Majesty to protect you.
They are not porters!
"Hmm? Aren't you going to call them?" Xiao Jinheng said with a cold face.
"Yes, yes, okay!" Kong Xingzhuo finished his jerky, clapped his hands, stood up, and blew a whistle into the dense forest.
A moment later, Guard A and Guard B leaped down from the trees, landing with one foot directly in the campfire...
"Ahhh! It's hot, hoh, it's burning me!"
The two of them jumped three feet high, letting out a string of yelps, almost scalping their feet.
The Yun family: "..."
They had seen these two hidden guards before.
Especially Yun Erman, he was rescued by these two hidden guards when he was kidnapped to the widows' village.
Xiao Jinheng coughed lightly and pointed at the sacks at the base of the tree. "You two, carry two sacks each, no slacking!"
The two hidden guards: "..."
Could they refuse?
Old Man Yun said with a smile, "Young Master Xiao, this is too much trouble!"
They couldn't let others carry their own harvested mountain goods.
Xiao Jinheng shrugged. "It's fine, they're idle anyway!"
Hidden guards: "..."
They were running around and working hard!
At this moment, a dark cloud had drifted into the sky from somewhere, dark and ominous, accompanied by muffled thunder and lightning. A strong wind began to blow through the forest.
"Rumble..."
It was about to rain heavily!